This was not a good week for immigration reform. The sound arguments about the need to pursue comprehensive reform contrast markedly from the measures proposed in the Senate and the actions taken by the Obama Administration.
It was important that a bipartisan study group of the Council of Foreign Relations called for comprehensive reform that "restores sanity" to the system and does not put the economy, diplomacy or security in danger. The report reflects a positive and realistic approach. Unfortunately, subsequent events contradicted the recommendations.
On the one hand, the Obama Administration continues adding to the domestic pressure by handing down more controversial decisions. First, they decided to expand the system of identity verification to be used by employers – E-verify – despite not having corrected serious system flaws that led to mistaken identity.
Shortly thereafter, the Department of Homeland Security expanded the 287(g) Program so that there are 11 more localities in the country where police will help capture and remove individuals that are considered "dangerous criminal aliens." The problem is that the new agreement doesn’t guarantee an end to the abuses committed in violation of the federal guidelines by local police and sheriffs when they arrest peaceful laborers instead.
Finally, the Senate introduced various measures— such as border security, E-verify, hiring foreign doctors for rural areas, reauthorization for religious workers— which were attached to bills that have nothing to do with immigration. This array of measures continues the piecemeal approach to immigration policy and puts comprehensive reform at further risk by taking away important issues that could be used in the negotiations for a just and fair reform.
Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) said that he will put forward a bill on immigration reform at the beginning of September. This should be the vehicle for dealing with all measures related toimmigration.
The recent developments are disheartening because the White House is following in the footsteps of its predecessor with policies of questionable reliability and which are predisposed to abuse. The majority of Latino voters who supported the election of President Obama had hoped for something better.
This was not a good week for immigration reform. The sound arguments about the need to pursue comprehensive reform contrast markedly from the measures proposed in the Senate and the actions taken by the Obama Administration.
It was important that a bipartisan study group of the Council of Foreign Relations called for comprehensive reform that "restores sanity" to the system and does not put the economy, diplomacy or security in danger. The report reflects a positive and realistic approach. Unfortunately, subsequent events contradicted the recommendations.
On the one hand, the Obama Administration continues adding to the domestic pressure by handing down more controversial decisions. First, they decided to expand the system of identity verification to be used by employers – E-verify – despite not having corrected serious system flaws that led to mistaken identity.
Shortly thereafter, the Department of Homeland Security expanded the 287(g) Program so that there are 11 more localities in the country where police will help capture and remove individuals that are considered "dangerous criminal aliens." The problem is that the new agreement doesn’t guarantee an end to the abuses committed in violation of the federal guidelines by local police and sheriffs when they arrest peaceful laborers instead.
Finally, the Senate introduced various measures— such as border security, E-verify, hiring foreign doctors for rural areas, reauthorization for religious workers— which were attached to bills that have nothing to do with immigration. This array of measures continues the piecemeal approach to immigration policy and puts comprehensive reform at further risk by taking away important issues that could be used in the negotiations for a just and fair reform.
